What the Empire Cannot Conquor
by ArtistsChild93
Summary: Three years after the Battle of Yavin, young rebels find love in unlikely places and discover something the Empire simply cannot conquor. The story of ESB with Ivy and friends involved.
1. Prologue

Three years after the fateful battle of Yavin, Luke Skywalker found himself hopelessly in love. Somehow over the course of those years, Ivy Starling had wormed herself into his heart and promptly stolen it away.

Every time he saw her, however, he couldn't get out how he felt. His nerves just went down the toilet! There was only one thing he could do.

"Hey Biggs!" he shouted to his childhood friend and leader of Gold Squadron.

"Hey Luke! How's Rogue Squadron suiting you?" his friend grinned.

Luke smiled, "Good, good. Wedge and Wes can be a bit of a pain sometimes, but they're not so bad. Actually, I wanted to ask you about something."

"Does this involve a certain female commander?" he asked.

Skywalker blushed, "Y-yeah, how did you know?"

Biggs laughed, "It's pretty obvious, Luke."

"I just-I don't know," he stammered, "I think I'm in love, Biggs. And I don't know what to do; I've never been in love before."

"Believe me Luke," Darklighter grinned, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder "You're in love. And she'd have to be crazy not to love you back."

"Really?" he said, eyes lighting up, "Well what should I do?"

"Ask her out," he said, "you two have been practically inseparable since Yavin, I'm sure she'll say yes."

"You really think so?"

"Luke I know so."

"Commander Starling," a young rebel soldier called out to a young woman in a purple flight suit.

"Yes?" she said, raising a dark eyebrow.

"The new recruits have arrived," he said.

She smiled, "I'll be right along to greet them."

Poy Bandara fiddled nervously with the sleeve of her thermal. Only a week ago the young Twi'lek had been part of a family. The Empire had changed all that when her older sister, and only family, had been sold into the slave markets. She had been lucky to have escaped.

"So," a boy about her own age said.

She smiled at him, "Soooo! You escaping imperial imprisonment too?"

"You betcha!" he said, "You're from Ryloth right?"

"Dantooine actually," the purple skinned girl said, "My parents were from Ryloth. They died before I was born."

"I'm sorry," he said, "Mine died when I was seven. My name's Adi."

"Poy," she held out a slender hand, "You gonna try out to be a pilot?"

"No," he laughed, "believe me, I think I'd protect the alliance better by staying away from anything that flies."

She giggled, "You're really that bad?"

"I really am." He said, "I failed my speeder test five times."

"Ouch!" she said.

"Can you fly?"

She laughed, a clear tinkling laugh, "Can I fly? Do you really need to ask?"

"Hello," the two new recruits turned to find themselves being greeted by a young woman a few years older than themselves. She was about average height, wearing a violet flight suit, and she had the wildest curly black hair either of them had seen. "You must be the new recruits."

Both of them nodded.

"I'm very pleased to meet you both," she said examining the data pad with their information on it.

"Do you know where I need to go to take my flight test?" Poy asked.

Ivy smiled, revealing dimples on either side of her cheeks, "Of course, if you'll just follow me, I'll show you the way."

Adi cleared his throat, "Um, any idea where to go if you can't fly?"

"No problem," she said, "You'll want command station. Take a left down the next hallway and keep going straight, it's the last door on the right. Ask for Leia Organa if she's not busy. If she is, you'll wanna talk to either Maggie Tacci or Danyella Corelle.

"Thanks, thanks a lot," he turned down the next hallway and waved at the young Twi'lek, "see ya around, Poy."

"You know Leia Organa?" she asked.

"Yeah, very well," Starling grinned, "We're quite good friends actually."

"Wow, I guess fame means very little in the Alliance," Poy said, "I suppose you know Ivy Starling and Luke Skywalker too."

Ivy burst out laughing, "I am Ivy Starling!"

"Really?" she was astonished, "You're like my hero!"

"Glad to know I'm loved." She said bowing gracefully, "So what brings you to the alliance, Poy?"

"They captured my sister," she said bitterly, "and sold her to the imperial slave markets."

Ivy's expression darkened slightly, "Bastards. They did the same thing on my planet. I'm sure a lot of my friends are in the same position as your sister."

"But why?" she asked.

"Apparently Earthlian females are some of the most beautiful in the galaxy." She growled, "Although I don't see much difference between us and everyone around us, do you?"

"No, I don't." she sighed, "Just out of curiosity, how old are you?"

"Almost 22." She said, "I joined the rebellion when I was just 19. How old are you?"

"Eighteen," she said, "I would have waited another year to join, but after what happened to my sister, I realized it was in my best interest to join before they got me too."

"Understandable." She said before shouting to another pilot in a purple flight suit, "Hey Kourt, are there any Sims open right now?"

"Yeah," she said with a grin, "new recruit?"

"Yup!" Ivy said, "Poy, I'd like you to meet Kourt, Kourt this is Poy."

"Pleased to meet you!" she shook the young girl's hand, "Nice to see there's some more Violet potential out there. Shall I fetch the rest of the crew?"

"Knock yourself out!"

Leia Organa's reading was interrupted around 15:00 by a tentative knock on the door. She palmed it open, revealing Luke Skywalker looking distinctly nervous, and also, despite Echo base's infamous temperature, sweating profusely. "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah," he said nervously, "is Ivy in?"

She shook her head, "No, I believe she went to greet the two new recruits."

"Oh," he said, "any idea where she might be?"

"I'm guessing she's probably in the Sims." Leia smiled, "From what I heard, one of them is a decent pilot."

"Okay," he said, "thanks a lot, Leia." She watched her friend head off in the direction of the simulation room and shook her head.

"I hope she says yes."


	2. Prelude to a Wampa

Poy rained fire down on the unsuspecting tie fighters from above, "Take that you ugly trollups!"

"She certainly has the talent for the Violets, but she's got a mouth like a Rogue." Violet 4, Lara Blue said.

Ivy giggled, the only rogue who didn't swear like a spacer was Luke. And she'd still heard him curse once or twice (in fluent huttenese). It actually had been pretty funny. She found herself staring off into space at the thought of her best friend, which seemed to be happening more and more often.

"Hey-hey," Kourt knocked on her forehead, "Hoth to Starling, are you there?"

"What?" she said, "oh, sorry, I got distracted."

"Let me guess," she said, "it involves a certain tawny-haired commander of whom the mere thought of causes you to space out."

Ivy's cheeks turned slightly pink, "how do you know that?"

"Because the only time you get that look on your face, you're thinking about him," Kovacks said, "Anyway you seem to have no problem pointing it out when I'm thinking about Wedge."

"Your taste in men is terrible."

"Hey, hey!" Ivy found herself being nudged by another member of her squadron, a young bothan named Kalla, "You might wanna turn around, Boss."

Before she got the chance, she found a pair of large hands covering her eyes, "guess who?"

"Luke, you really stink at this game." She said elbowing him in the ribs, illiciting a grunt of pain.

"You do realize how sharp your elbows are right?" he said, eyes watering.

She grinned and gave him a playful shove, "yes." She grinned at her friend, "Soo… What brings you here, Commander?"

"Heard you where testing a new pilot, and I wanted to see how she was doing."

"Not trying to steal her away are we?" she smiled innocently.

Luke shrugged, "Maybe, maybe not."

"I bet you are," she said, "so the rogues can have a girl pilot."

"It's not a bad idea, really," he said, "I mean your squad has two guys in it."

She glared at him.

"Hey Boss," Poy said, sticking her head out of the sim, "How am I doing?"

"Terrific." She said, "Poy, I'd like you to meet my friend Luke. Luke this is the newest member of _my_ squadron, Poy Bandara."

"My aren't we touchy," he teased, "Just out of curiosity, what are you doing tonight?" It came out quickly as though he where nervous.

Ivy rumpled her nose in disgust, "Tauntaun duty."

"Really? Me too!" he said.

She smiled, "I might be free afterward though." Several members of her squadron wolf whistled, "Shut up! Honestly you girls are almost as bad as the Rogues, no offence."

"None taken." He smiled.

"So I got in?" Poy interrupted.

"Yeah, you're in," Ivy grinned. The young Twi'lek smiled back. Then held out her small hand to Luke.

"Hi, you must be Luke." She said, "I'm Poy."

He shook it, "Pleased to meet you, Poy. Oh and by the way," he said, an ornery smirk on his face, "She's not part of _your_ squadron till command assigns her, Starling."

"you know what, _skywalker_," she snapped.

The confident grin stayed on his face, "What?"

"You can be a real idiot sometimes."

"Is that so?" he said, arching an eyebrow.

"Yes, that's so," she said.

Kourt felt a light tap on her arm, "What is it, Poy?"

"Are they always like that?" Bandara asked.

Kourt laughed, "Usually, but it's just harmless banter. They don't really mean it. I've only really seen them get into a real argument once."

"Oh?" she asked, "what caused it?"

"Luke got in an accident and broke three ribs." She replied, "and he was refusing to go to the medicenter. Only time I ever saw them get into an actual shouting match."

"Well that's understandable," Poy said, "I would probably do the same thing."

Several hours later Ivy and Luke where preparing to go out in the bitter cold.

"Hey kids!" the smuggler shouted at the two young rebels, "You got Tauntaun duty too?"

"Unfortunatly yes," Luke shouted back, "then me and Ivy got a date."

"Congratulations Kid!" he smirked.

Ivy climbed up onto her beast and punched Luke on the shoulder, "You had to share that with everyone, didn't you?"

"Oww!" he said, rubbing his arm ruefully, "what was that for?"

"you're an idiot, Skywalker."

"Is that so?" he said, guiding his Tauntaun towards the entrance before turning back with a familiar grin on his face that meant nothing but trouble, "takes one to know one."

Solo started laughing, "He got you good!"

"Oh shut up Solo."

"Commander Skywalker!" Luke checked his Tauntaun as a young soldier came towards the group.

"Yeah?" he said, raising an eyebrow.

"Be careful out there," he said, "Commander Darklighter and Wedge Antilles spotted a wampa ice creature nearby last night."

"Okay, we will." He said as they rode out. Unfortunatly, Ivy knew for a fact that the term "be careful" did not exist in Luke Skywalker's dictionary.


	3. Attack

"You know what?"

Luke rolled his eyes, "I know, I know Starling, I'm an idiot."

"No, I hate Hoth," she said, "And I hate you for reccomending this snot hole."

"Hey, I assure you, I didn't exactly expect them to choose this place," he said, "Besides, it's not like we had much of a choice." Ivy's insult had clearly hit a chord.

"Sorry, sorry," she said, "I didn't realize you'd get all upset about that." Something suddenly caught her eye, "Hey, did you see that?"

"Yeah." He said, curiously, "Looks like another meteor."

"I think you're right, but maybe we should check it out just in case." She said.

Luke nodded, "Yeah, I have a funny feeling about this one." He brushed the snow off his arm comlink and dialed in Solo's number, "Echo Three to Echo Seven, Han old buddy do you read me?"

"Loud and clear, Kid," Han's voice crackled, "what's up?"

"Well, we finished our circle, I don't pick up any life readings." He said

Ivy leaned over and shouted into the device, "Me neither."

"Glad to hear your sultry voice, Thorney." He said.

"Better not tell Leia that." She laughed, "Luke and I just saw a meteor hit the ground and we're gonna check it out, okay."

"Alright, I'm gonna head back, you two be careful." Solo was just starting to head back when he heard a high shrill shriek followed by several blaster shots. He dialed in Luke's number, "Kid? Kid?"

A shaky voice came over the device, "H-H-Han?"

"What happened, Thorney?" he asked.

"Huge wampa," she said, voice quavering, "oh force! It got Luke!"

"Alright-alright," Solo said in a soothing voice, "deep breaths, Thorney, is he still breathing?"

She crawled over to her friend and put her face near his mouth, "Y-yeah, he's breathing. Oh sith he looks awful!"

"I'll be right there," he said, turning his beast in their direction.

Luke's eyes opened slowly, "Ben?" he whispered.

"No, Luke it's Ivy." She said, gently patting the uninjured side of his face. His eyes didn't focus on her.

"Dagobah," he said softly, as he slipped into unconsciousness.

"Luke? LUKE!" she yelled, trying to wake him. Solo appeared out of the gloom at her side.

"How's he doin?" Solo asked.

She shrugged, "I don't know, he was muttering something about old Ben and something called Dagobah. Then he passed out again."

Solo examined the three carcasses surrounding his young friends, "You got that wampa good, didn't you Thorney."

"Yeah," she said, "I think I got him the first time, but I didn't want him to get up again."

"So you unloaded the clip?" he asked.

"Pretty much." She said, "How are we gonna get outta here? There are three of us and one Tauntaun?"

"We'll figure it out." He said, "hold on, before we do anything, let's call base." He dialed in the base's number, "Echo Seven to base, Echo seven to base. This is Solo."

A voice crackled over the device, "This is base, what's up?"

"Commander Skywalker's been attacked by a wampa, and he's outta commission." He said, "I need ya to see if they can send a speeder out."

"I'll ask." He said. It was several moments before the young voice returned, "I'm sorry, they're having trouble adapting them to the cold, how far are you from base, They may be able to send a rescue squad out to you."

"See what you can do," he said, "it's gettin cold out there."

Ivy grabbed his arm as Luke groaned quietly, "I think he's starting to come round, Luke?"

He moaned painfully, "Ow, my head's killing me. Wha happened?"

"You got attacked by a wampa, Luke," she said, "do you remember?"

He shook his head slightly, then moaned and tried to roll into the fetal position.

"Stay still, Kid," Solo said, "We're gonna get you outta here."

"Okay," the voice came again, "We've located you, the rescue squad's on its way."

"Good." He said, "How long should it be?"

"Not long," he said, "it should be about 20 minutes to a half an hour."

"Hear that, Kid," he said, "they'll be here soon."

Ivy was now sitting on the frigid ground with Luke's head cradled in her lap, "Solo, you got an emergency blanket with you, he's starting to shiver."

"Yeah, no problem." He said, obviously concerned for their friend's welfare."

"Luke," she said, her friend slipping back into unconsciousness, Ivy patted his face, "Luke, you gotta stay with us."

"Tired," he said, lids starting to droop over his blue eyes.

"I know," she said, "but no matter what, Luke you gotta stay awake." He nodded tiredly.

Solo came back and threw the blanket over Luke's quivering body, "There ya go, Kid," he said, "that should make ya feel better."

"T-t-thanks, Han," he said, still shivering, "Hey Han?"

"Yeah?"

"I think it's coming back now," he said.

"You remember?" Ivy asked.

His brow furrowed, "a little, it hurts to think though."

Solo knelt down beside the pair, "Just relax, kid, we'll be inside before you know it."

Thirty minutes later, the rescue squad was on its way back to base with Luke on a stretcher.

"Nice to see you again," she said to the new recruit she'd met earlier that day.

"No problem," Adi said.

She smiled, "You know, it's not just everybody volunteers when they're contacted when someone's in trouble."

"I like action," he said, "but I'm the worst pilot in the galaxy, so I figured I'd help where I can. So, will Commander Skywalker be okay?"

"He'll be fine," Starling said with a laugh, "We're pretty accustomed to it."

Adi laughed, "Sounds pretty accident prone."

"That's an understatement," Solo said, "He gets in more accidents than I've ever known anyone to get themselves into."

Ivy giggled, "Han and I call it a Luke-fluke."

He nodded, "I'll keep that in mind in case I'm ever in the same room with him."


	4. Almost Kiss

Ivy, Leia and Han stood outside watching their friend in the bacta tank. He'd been there for several hours. Ivy sighed mournfully, shoulders sagging slightly.

"Buck up, Thorney," Han said, "he'll be okay."

"I know-I know," she said, "I just wish it wasn't him in that bacta tank."

"You woulda preffered it to be you?" he asked.

"I don't know," she replied, shaking her curly head, "It just scares me so bad whenever he hurts himself."

"You love him?" Leia asked.

She shrugged, "I don't know, I think I do, but I don't know yet. I get so scared when he gets into trouble like this."

"Like you're gonna lose him?" Solo questioned.

"I suppose so," she said, "but I've never loved before, I don't know what it feels like."

Solo patted her arm, "Belive me, you'll know."

After a while, Luke was taken out and was now sitting upright in a bed, looking a slight bit weak, but better for the most part.

He heard a small tap on the door, "Come in."

Ivy opened the door, "Hey, Luke how are you feeling?"

"Much better," he said, "thanks to you and Han."

"And hopefully," she sniffed crossing her arms, "that will be the last time I have to pull your fanny outta the fire."

"Hey," he said, with a little bit of a whine in his voice, "It's not my fault I'm accident prone."

She laughed, "You know," she said between giggles, "I really do love your whine."

"Shure you don't love the rest of me," he said smugly, leaning forward slightly.

Ivy's heart pattered against her rip, "Well, I am rather fond of you, to tell the truth." She hadn't realized she had leaned closer to him. Their lips where now mere inches apart.

"Master Luke!" Both young rebels shot up blushing. Ivy rolled her eyes.

_Perfect timing, Threepio._

"It's so good to see you fully functioning again," the droid babbled, followed close by Artoo, "Artoo expresses his relief also.

Luke quickly pulled himself together, "Thanks Threepio."

_Thanks for nothing,_ Ivy thought, rolling her exotic green eyes to the ceiling.

They where closely followed by Han and Chewie, "Hey kid, how ya feelin?" He looked him up and down, "You don't look so bad to me. In fact: you look strong enough to pull the ears off a gundark."

"Thanks to you and Ivy," Luke smiled.

"That's two ya owe me, Junior" he said holding up to fingers. Luke let out a snort of laughter.

"Actually," she said, "he owes me two, I owe you one." She said.

"Is that so, Thorney?"

"Yes that's so," she said, "You saved my ass at Yavin, I'll give you that. But then I turned around and saved him. And who was it that blew the wampa's brains out that was trying to eat him?"

"I feel so loved," Luke muttered sarcastically.

Han ignored her, "Well your worship, looks like you managed to keep me around for a little while longer."

"I had nothing to do with it, General Rieekan thinks it's dangerous for any ships to leave the system until we've activated the energy shield."

"That's a good story." He smirked, "I think you just can't stand to let a gorgeous guy like me outta your sight."

"Uh-oh here we go again." Ivy muttered out of the corner of her mouth.

Luke rolled his eyes, "Again."

"I don't know where you get your delusions Lazer Brain," Leia snapped.

Chewie chuckled deeply.

"Laugh it up Fuzzball."

Ivy and Luke Looked at each other and grinned. This was gonna be a good one.

Han put his arm around Leia _get ready for fireworks!_ "But you didn't see us alone in the south passage."

The two young rebles snickered behind their hands. Scratch good, this was gonna be priceless.

"She expressed her true feelings for me."

"My?!" she was angry, "Why you..stuck up…half-witted…scruffy-looking NERF HEARDER!"

Ivy lost it then, and had to disguise the laughter as sneezing. Luke was in a similar state.

"Who's scruffy lookin" was Hans only comeback. He leaned inbetween the pair, "I must've hit it pretty close to the mark to get her riled like that, huh kids?"

Leia nodded slightl, then made a few tentative steps towards Luke. But she changed her mind when she realized how impossibly mad it would make Ivy, "You don't know everything about women you know!" Then she turned on her heel and stormed out.

Han looked distinctly annoyed. Luke and Ivy where both helpless with laughter.

"Laugh all ya want," he retorted, "I'll see you two later."

Luke grinned, "That was brilliant! Do you think she was going to…?"

"I hope not," Ivy said, "I woulda had to kill her."

"I woulda had to rub it in his face." He said playfully, then suddenly grabbed her hand, "I almost forgot."

"What?" she asked.

"I had a dream when I was outta it," he said, "it was Ben."

"Oh yeah, you where muttering about it, and something called Dagobah."

He looked slightly embarrassed, "Yeah, he told me to go to Dagoba to learn from Yoda."

"Oh," she stiffly said, "so you're leaving."

"Yes," he replied, "but he wanted me to take you with me, so I'm not leaving you."

"Oh," she said, slightly shocked, "You sure you weren't hallucinating?"

"I'm sure."

**About the whole kiss thing… I couldn't do it to Ivy or Leia. Ivy would be very mad at her indeed. Plus, I needed to add the whole Dagobah bit, and it wouldn't really work if Ivy was mad at Luke.**


	5. Battle of Hoth

Chaos reigned troughout echo base. With the news of the probe droid Picked up near where Ivy and Luke had been attacked, a hasty evacuation had begun.

"Hey Boss," Poy, now the newest member of her squadron addressed her, "Which ship am I assigned to?"

She examined the clipboard, "You're over with Violet Six, Derek Materson."

"Thanks a lot!" she said jogging off.

"Oh and Poy?" the young twi'lek turned, "watch out he's a bit girl happy."

As Kourt passed, she felt Ivy grab her arm, "What's up Ivy?"

"Look," she said, "you can't tell anyone about this."

"Okay, no prob," Kovaks grinned, "I'm your best friend after all."

"I'm gonna be gone for a while," she said, "There's something I have to do, and while I'm gone, you're in charge of the Violets okay?"

"Okay," she said, "I'll make sure Derek and Chaz don't get assult charges, and I won't tell a soul."

"Wild horses couldn't drag it outta you?"

She laughed, "Wild horses couldn't drag it outta me."

Ivy smacked her friend's helmet, as was their custom and climbed up the ladder, "Se ya up there."

"Hi boss," her gunner Kalla was grinning from ear to ear.

"Hey Kalla," she grinned, "Ready to kill a few imperials?"

"Choo bet!" the bothan laughed, "I've got a running count going with Lara."

The two person snowspeeder began to rise off the ground. And Ivy guided the ship skillfully towards the entrance. "All right, ladies, let's show those imperial jerks what sexisim does to you."

"Hey!" one of the male pilots shouted, "We ain't all female."

"Nobody asked you, Derekson!" Laura Blue yelled.

"Morning Starling," Luke's voice came over her helmet com, "Lovely day for an evacuation."

"So they let you out so you could save the day again?"

"What less?"

Ivy chuckled good naturedly, "So what's the plan, Rogue Leader?"

"We'll take the left rank," he said.

"You heard him, girls, take the right side!" she shouted.

"Holy force! Those things are huge!" Poy squealed.

"Bandara!" Ivy yelled, she had a habit of doing that during a battle, "Stay calm, the best way to survive a battle is not to panic."

"O-okay," she squeaked, "I'll try."

"Ivy," Luke's voice barked over the helmet, "The armor's too strong for blasters, your squadron's best bet is to go for the legs with the harpoons and tow cables."

"Thanks a lot, Luke," she said, "Alright Violets, you heard them, let's get to work."

"Dack? Dack?" Luke's voice came again, "Wedge, I lost my gunner, you'll have to take this shot for me."

"Oh no!" Lara sniffled, "not Dack!" Laura and Dack had been going steady for a month. She urged her ship forward, but was fired upon and her ship exploded into molten fragments.

"LARA!" Kalla screamed. Ivy heard a sob from the young bothan, the two had been close, "No, no, please no!"

"Kalla, there's nothing we can do," Ivy said, "We'll have time to grieve later, right now we have work to do."

She nodded behind her, wiping a hand across her face.

"Alright girls, I'm going in, Kalla, get ready to fire the towcable." The speeder zoomed in between the giant walker's legs, "fire!" Her shot was true. Ivy began to circle in between the giant legs, winding the cable around. "Okay, Kal let her go!" The walker came crashing to the ground with a deafining boom. It exploded as members of the Violets fired down upon its exposed neck.

"That's for Laura!" Bandara's voice came shrill and angry.

"Good shot poy!"

Suddenly Luke's voice crackled over Ivy's helmet, "Hobbie, I've been hit!"

"Luke!" Ivy screamed. She saw the speeder come crashing to the ground. Only moments later, Luke imerged from the cockpit, trying to pull Dack's body from the restraints. His ship was in the direct path of the walker's foot, "Luke get outta there! You're gonna get yourself killed!"

"Just a second," he said, diving into the cockpit to retrieve a magnetic harpoon. He threw himself out of the way only just in time.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Don't worry about me, Starling," he said, "get outta here!"

"Okay, Luke," she said, "Meet you at the X-Wings."

When they landed, Kalla collapsed on the snow sobbing. Ivy placed her hand on the young bothan's shoulder, "It's okay, Lara has Dack to take care of her."

"She was my best friend," she said, "They killed my best friend."

Ivy pulled her into a hug, "It's okay, I know, that's why we're still fighting."

"I-I'll see you at the rendezvous boss." She waved a furry paw and headed towards her ship.

Ivy felt a light tap on her shoulder, "Hey Starling, you ready to go?"

"Yeah, ready as I'll ever be." She smiled, "Hold on, before you go, since Threepio isn't here," she leaned forward slightly.

Their lips met in their first kiss. Ivy ran a hand through his blonde hair, and Luke's arms went around her waist.

Both of them pulled apart when Wedge let out a loud wolf-whistle, "Well look whose getting it on."

"Shut up Wedge." Luke said.

"I'll see you two at the rendezvous." He said with a parting wave.

Ivy grabbed his hand, "Let's get going, that Jedi master isn't gonna wait forever." She grinned, "By the way, you're quite the kisser, where'd you pick it up?"

He shrugged, "I dunno, you're the first person I've kissed."

Ivy laughed, "Really, that was my very first kiss too."

Luke laughed and shoved her gently, "Let's get going."

**Yayy! Next chapter has Yoda. I can't wait to put up Ivy's reaction to him. **


	6. Meeting Yoda

"I wonder how the others are doing," Ivy said through her helmet com, "Han and Leia."

"I'm sure they're fine, Ivy." Luke replied calmly, "And I'm sure your little cousin is all right too."

"You read my mind," she said, "I can't help worrying about her, I mean I'm her only family. And she's my only family. Han promised me he'd take good care of her. "

"He will," Luke soothed, "you can be sure of that."

She sighted, "I know, It's just if something happens to Aya I don't know what I'll do." Ivy shook her head, "How long is it till we get to this Dagobah place?"

"About an hour." He replied.

Not long after, both ships where smoothly exiting hyperspace within view of a small incredibly green planet.

"There it is, Dagobah," Luke said through the helmet.

"Hmm," Ivy said, "looks like a fun planet."

She heard Artoo beep something.

"No, I'm not gonna change my mind about this." He said. "I'm not picking up any cities or technology, massive life form readings though."

"I'm getting the same thing," she said, "there's something alive down there. And if you want my opinion, I hope it's the small harmless variety."

"You and me both," Luke snorted, "I've had enough experience with nearly being eaten by vicious life forms to last me a lifetime."

"Really?" Starling chuckled, "you seem to have a knack for that."

Luke rolled his eyes, "I noticed."

"Woa, woa," Ivy said, suddenly realizing that she had no visibility once they entered the planet's atmosphere, "where did all this fog come from? I can't see a damn thing!"

"All the scopes are dead," Luke said, slight panic in his voice, "We'd better start the landing cycle."

Suddenly, Ivy saw the outlines of branches brush past the cockpit window, "Shavit! Trees!" her X-wing crash landed seconds later on the swampy ground. Luke wasn't so lucky.

He landed about twenty feet away in a pond. Both of them opened their cockpit and Ivy saw Luke take off his flight gloves and throw them at the control panel in frustration. "Great, just great."

"Well," she said hopefully, "it could be worse." He only glared at her.

It was at this point Artoo decided to come out of his cubby hold. "No, Artoo, you stay put I'll have a look around." Luke made his way carefully along the nose of his fighter. Suddenly the ship swayed ominously and dumped Artoo into the pond, "Artoo? Artoo where are you?"

The droid's periscope appeared above the water and both young warriors breathed a sigh of relief.

"You be more careful," Luke said irritably.

Ivy rolled her eyes. _Like servant like master._

The Artoo started to roll off in the wrong direction, "Artoo, that way." Luke said pointing in the direction. He then jumped into the stagnant water and waded to the bank.

Ivy was quickly beside him, "Now are you sure you weren't hallucinating?"

Skywalker pulled a face, "Not anymore."

They both turned as they heard muffled shrieks coming from Artoo when something swallowed him whole.

"ARTOO!" they both screamed, pointing their blasters in the animal's general direction. All was silent for several moments. Then with an ear-splitting shriek, the little blue astro droid shot through the air in a perfect arch, crashing down top over wheels. Luke and Ivy rushed over to help the unfortunate robot into an upright position.

"Oh no!" he exclaimed, "Are you all right? Anything broken?"

"Man Artoo," Ivy stated, "you're lucky you don't taste very good."

Artoo warbled something feebly, "If you're saying coming here was a bad idea, I'm beginning to agree with you." Skywalker said, cleaning some of the mud off the domed head, "What are we doing here? I dunno maybe I'm just going crazy."

"Believe me Luke, there is no maybe." Ivy said. Luke opened his mouth to retort, but a sudden vomit of pond scum out of one of Artoo's cranial ports, stopping him mid-sentence and causing the most ridiculous look to appear on his face. Ivy burst out laughing.

"What?"

"You shoulda seen the look on your face Luke that was priceless!" Starling giggled.

"Yeah, yeah, hilarious." He retorted, obviously not amused, "well, we better set up camp somewhere, what do ya say?"

"No complaints here, let's get to work." It was another hour before their tents where pitched and everything was in position. Luke turned on the fusion heater and warmed his hands over it for a second before turning to Artoo.

"Ready for some power?" the droid beeped affirmative. He then grabbed the box of processed food, opened it and tossed Ivy a ration bar before pulling one out for himself and taking a bite. "Now all we have to do is find this Yoda."

"Yeah, if he exists." Ivy said, suddenly realizing she'd been staring at her friend's backside for the past minute, much to her embarrassment. She cleared her throat, "So, where do you think we should start looking."

Thankfully, he hadn't noticed, "I dunno, but I suddenly have this funny feeling I feel like…"

"Feel like what?" a strange voice said not feet from them. Both rebels jumped. Ivy let out a startled yell, and Luke aimed his blaster in the direction of the voice. It was a little green creature about three feet tall who was shielding himself with an arm, "Away put your weapon, I mean you no harm."

Luke reluctantly put his blaster down. Ivy was clutching at her heart, "Geez little guy, you almost scared us to death!"

"I am wondering, why are you here?" he asked.

"We're looking for someone."

"Looking? Found someone you have, I would say, hmm?" the creature chuckled merrily.

Ivy grinned. Some warriors they were, getting scared by a little green…whatever it was.

"Right," Skywalker said a bemused look on his face.

"Help you I can, yess." It said. Ivy couldn't help but snicker at the creature's funny way of talking. She knew it wasn't exactly polite, but she just couldn't stop herself.

"I don't think so," Luke said, "we're looking for a great warrior."

"Aaah! Great warrior. Wars not make one great."

"Very true," Ivy said respectfully. The little green stranger made a beeline for Luke's ration bar.

"Put that down!" he said, "HEY, that's my dinner!" the creature took a bite of it but quickly spit it out. Ivy started to laugh; this was getting funnier by the minute. "Oh yeah real funny Starling."

"How you get so big eating food of this kind?"

"Just cuz it tastes terrible doesn't mean it can't have nutritional value, little guy," maybe she should stop calling him little guy. He began to rummage in a case of supplies, throwing things left and right, much to the chagrin of Luke Skywalker.

"Hey, you coulda broken this." He groaned, "oh no, you're making a mess."

Ivy continued to laugh the whole time. _You know, it would be really funny if this is that Yoda guy._

The creature had now crawled out of the container and was fighting over his spoils, a small lamp, with Artoo, "Mine! Mine!"

"Artoo let him have it," Luke said, "Artoo!" The droid let go and the creature sauntered away with the lamp. "Now will you move along little fella we got a lot of work to do."

"Aww Luke, don't be so hard on the little guy," she said, "he probably just wanted some company."

"Stay and help you I will," it said, "find your friend"

"We're not looking for a friend, we're looking for a Jedi master," Luke said, finally fed up.

"Oooh! Jedi master, Yoda, you seek Yoda." He said.

Luke knelt down to the creature's eye level, "You know him."

"Mmmh. Take you to him I will," he chuckled, "yes, yes, but now we must eat. Come, good food, come."

Ivy and Luke looked at each other, shrugged and followed the small lamp bearing creature into the fog.

**Yayy! Sorry I took a little while to post this, my charger for my computer fired (piece of crap) and so my computer's been dead for two days. That is why my next computer is NOT going to be a gateway. But anyway, I hope you've enjoyed, please comment, I love getting feedback. Oh and by the way, the little girl I was referring to earlier, just to clear things up, is named Adnat Caal and she does appear briefly in my previous story. She's not really a major character for the most part, but she will play a major role in the story. And the reason she will only appear briefly is because at this point she's only twelve years old, not old enough to play an active role in the story. Just to clear up any confusion.**


	7. Into the Mire

"Oh yuck!" Ivy wrenched her boot out the muck of the swamp.

"Step carefully you must," the little green creature said cheerfully, "or into the swamp will you go."

"How much further do we have to go?" Luke groaned.

The creature chuckled good-naturedly, "Not far not far! Nearly there are we!"

Ivy spotted a light in the distance, "I think I see it!"

The creature's small home forced both young warriors to hunch over to avoid hitting their heads on the ceiling. It was a cozy little home, lit by a warm fire, on which a pot of some sort of stew sat.

"Eat you must now," their small host said, "Good food it is for hungry warriors."

"I'm sure it's delicious," Luke said impatiently, "I just don't understand why we can't see Yoda now."

Starling elbowed her friend in the arm, "Luke be polite, you're acting like a five year old." He rolled his eyes, "I'm sorry for my friend, little guy, he never learned how to respect his elders."

"Hey!"

"Patience, soon you will be with him." He said, "Why wish you become Jedi hm?"

"I'm force sensitive," Ivy said, "and I learned a little from old Ben and I want to know more."

"Knowledge do you seek?" he nodded, "mmmh. And you?"

"Mostly because of my father," Luke said.

The creature seemed to be reminiscing about something, "Ah, your father. Powerful Jedi was he, powerful Jedi."

Skywalker was rapidly losing patience, "Oh come on, how could you have known my father? You don't even know who I am." He snorted in frustration, "I don't even know what I'm doing here. We're wasting our time here."

Ivy laid a hand on his arm, "Luke."

"I cannot teach them." The little green troll said, "Patience neither of them have."

_Ugh! I'm such an idiot! I knew it the whole time!_

"They will learn patience," Kenobi said, causing both youngsters to jump.

"Much anger," Yoda said, "much anger in them both."

"Was I any different when you taught me?"

"Hah, they are not ready."

"But master-" Ivy was cut off by the small green creature

"Call me not master, girl," he said, "your master I am not."

Starling's shoulders dropped a little, "But I've worked so hard for this."

"Knowledge you desire," he said, "with knowledge comes power. Remember that you must. A Jedi seeks not for knowledge, but to the Jedi does it come."

"Please," she begged, "I'll do whatever you ask."

"Hard trials will you have ahead of you," he said, "Fear you will know by the end."

"I can be a Jedi," Luke said desperately, "Ben, tell him I'm ready."

"Ready are you?" he said, "What know you of ready? For eight hundred years have I trained Jedi. My own council will I keep on who must be trained. A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind." He waved a claw in their general direction, "These two a long time I have watched. Knowledge she craves, and never is his mind on where he was, what he was doing. A Jedi craves not the things they crave. Reckless you both are. And attachment too do I sense."

Both proclaimed warriors looked like two children who had been caught with their hands in a cookie jar. "So was I, if you remember."

"They are too old," Yoda argued, "Yes, too old to begin the training."

"But we've learned so much."

The old creature turned his gaze on the pair of them, "Will they finish what they begin?"

"I promise I will," Ivy said softly.

"I won't fail you," Luke said intensely, "I'm not afraid."

"You will be, you will be."

Meanwhile, on board Home One, two young recruits, Adi and Poy where strolling down a corridor engaged in a friendly chat.

"So your uncle was Moff Tarkin?" Poy said, "And you were raised by him?"

"Fraid so," he said, "I decided to join the rebellion soon after Alderaan."

"I'm so sorry, Adi." She said.

"You're not gonna tell anyone," he said.

"No!" she said, "Hey, my family had plenty of rotten branches. Take for example Bib Fortuna, he's a distant cousin of mine."

"Really?"

"Yeah, the point is that you can't choose your relatives," Poy replied, "And you can't choose who raised you either. I admire you for going against your uncle and joining the rebellion."

On another corner of the ship, Biggs darklighter was standing just outside the command center speaking to a redhead a couple years younger than himself. "So how have things been going here?"

"Okay," she said shyly, "It gets a little boring in here sometimes, but it's nothing I can't manage. And Maggie stops by every once in a while."

"You seem worried," he stated, "what's on your mind?"

Dani sighed, "I'm worried about them, it's been a week since we left Hoth and there's still no word from them. I hope they're okay."

"Don't worry," Biggs said, squeezing her shoulder, "Ivy and Luke can take care of themselves. And your little cousin Aya is in good hands, I'm sure Han and Leia wouldn't let anything happen to her."

"I know, I know," she said, "I just can't help worrying."

On board the falcon, a young girl of about twelve made her way quietly through the darkened ship, in search of someone who could chase away the nightmares she was having, "Chewie?" she said shyly to the shaggy form sitting in the co-pilot's chair.

The wookiee turned to face the frightened girl and growled a question.

She nodded her head in response, "I'm scared, Chewie. It was so real."

Chewbacca pulled the small curly haired girl into a gentle embrace, letting her sit on his lap until she fell asleep.

Han Solo entered the cockpit about twenty minutes later with a yawn, "she have a bad dream pal?"

Chewie nodded with a low growl.

"Poor Squirt," he said shaking his head.

Back on Dagobah, several weeks after Ivy and Luke had met up with Yoda, their training was in full swing. Ivy sat cross-legged facing the small master.

"Let the Force flow through you," he said, "only then, a lightsaber will you construct." Ivy closed her eyes and relaxed, feeling the Force flow about her like a never ending river into which she was submerged. Her green eyes opened slowly, slightly unfocused. Yoda held out a small brown bag into which the girl slipped her hand, grabbing one of the crystals it contained, "Aah, violet, both darkness and light does it contain."

She nodded, "As I do, master?"

"As all do, child," he said sagely, "Darkness and light in us all it is."

"Even in you?" she asked.

"Yes," Yoda said, "with the dark side I must also contend."

"What's the difference between the dark and the light?" she said, "Is it what you do that turns you to the dark side or how you do it? I mean, is there certain powers you cannot have without turning to the dark side? Or is it how you use any power within the Force?"

"Both it is," he said, "Actions and ability. No evil does the force contain, in the user lies the dark side."

Ivy nodded, "I understand now, thank you master."

**Hi, sorry I haven't posted in a while, my charger's still broken. But have no worries, my avid readers, my new charger will be arriving in ten days. And my Christmas break starts on the fourteenth so I will have plenty of time to write up more story. I hope you comment on my work, I really enjoy getting feedback.**


	8. The Cave

The relative peace of the swamp forest of Dagoba was disturbed by the appearance of two young rebels, male and female.

Luke Skywalker was carrying their small green master through the forest as he ran, Ivy close behind, "Having trouble keeping up, Starling?" he shouted over his shoulder.

"No, no," she said speeding up, "just enjoying the scenery."

"What form of scenery would that be?"

Ivy flushed, "the kind that's none of your—WOAH!" she yelled as she tripped over a root, slamming into Skywalker, who was partially turned around. Yoda leapt out of the way just in time as the pair came crashing to the ground, Ivy straddling Luke, who had a comical look of astonishment written on his face. The two of them lay there for several moments, not sure what to do.

Yoda shook his head; there was no teaching the pair when it came to attachment.

"Hi," Luke grinned stupidly at Ivy.

"Hi," she whispered back, leaning forward a little.

"More training do you have!" Yoda interrupted, "get up you must!"

Ivy reddened to her hairline, "Right," she said climbing off of her friend and offering him a hand, which he took readily, pulling himself up.

"Nearly crushed me to death you did." Yoda said shaking his head.

It was Luke's turn to blush this time, "Sorry."

"Come," he said, climbing back onto his perch, "More must you run today."

"Ugh, I am so bored," Kourt Kovacks said, putting her head down on the table she was sitting at.

Wedge put a hand under her chin, forcing her head up again, "cheer up!" he said, "sooner or later they'll be some space battle to fight, or some mission to fly."

"I wish they would hurry up about it!" she snapped, "I'd take on a whole battalion of TIEs just to end this boredom. Things haven't been the same since Ivy and Luke left."

He chuckled at his girlfriend's impatience, "Very true, I think I'm right in saying that both our squadrons miss their bosses?"

"Indeed."

"Why can't I go with him master?" Ivy asked.

"Luke's quest alone it is," he said, "only to Luke will the cave benefit."

"But what if he gets hurt?"

"On that matter we must discuss," the master said, "not healthy for the Jedi are attachments."

Realization dawned on Ivy, "Are you saying that Luke and I can't—" she couldn't finish her thought.

"Destroyed his father it did," he said, "lead to his demise. If care for Luke you do, let him go you must, or suffer the same fate as his father he will."

Starling felt as though her heart had been shattered into a thousand pieces, "but why is attachment bad? If compassion is a key part of the Jedi, why is love so taboo?"

"Long ago," Yoda began, "two Jedi there where," he said, "Much love they felt between them, and together well they worked. But one day, into their lives another man came, and jelocy consumed her love. Killed them both he did, then himself."

"Is that why Jedi cannot love?" Ivy said angrily, "Because of a story?"

"True it is," he said, "still exists, their bloodline does."

"How do you know?" she said, "it's just an old legend, master, I cannot stop myself from loving no matter how hard I try!"

He sighed and shook his head, "The blood is strong in their descendant."

"Me?" she said, "I'm the descendant? But my family's lived on earth for generations. How can this be true?"

"Knew them both I did, " he said, "when still young I was. For many generations untamable was their family, then one day, left did their descendant. Never seen again he was. Not long before the purges this was."

"What?" Ivy said, "But he would have vanished only, what twenty some or thirty some odd years ago! What was his name?"

"Oddvar Starling his name was." He said, looking her in the eye.

Ivy looked baffled, "But that's my father's name, he grew up on the streets and met my mother when he was still working at a sandwich shop, before they had me. My mother's parents took him in when he was just seventeen and my parents inherited my grandfather's fortune when he died. He wasn't a Jedi."

"The truth that is," yoda said, "a Jedi he was not, too violatle, too unstable. But grew up on the streets he did not, when ran away, seventeen he was."

"But that would mean I was lied to my whole life!" she said, "My own father lied to me?"

"Lied to you he did," Yoda said, "but to protect you."

Tears streamed down her face, "From what master? Myself?"

"No," he said, "Dark was his past, fled to protect us all from what he had done."

"But my father was a good man, Yoda," she said, "He always treated everyone with kindness, that can't be the same man."

"Changed he must have," Yoda said, "for your father's eyes you have, of that certain I am."

"I can't believe it," she said disgustedly, "I was lied to my whole life by my own parents!"

Silence lapsed between the pair, occasionally broken by a choked sob from Ivy.

Several moments later, Luke emerged from the cave, white faced and shaking all over. Ivy looked up, tears still staining her face, "What happened, Luke."

He collapsed into her arms, trembling all over, "V-Vader."

"What are you talking about?" Ivy said, "He can't even know we're here."

"In the cave," he said, voice rising in panic, "I cut off his head and-and."

"What happened?" she asked worriedly.

"It was my face-my face!" he stammered, "I don't understand. Don't understand."

"Master Yoda?" she said calmly, despite all that she just learned.

"Yes, young one?"

"I think that's enough lessons for today." She said, hugging her quivering friend tighter.

"Agree with you I do," he said, "rest you both must."

**Hello, I know short this is, but later more will come! Sorry, stuck in a Yoda rutt here. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, please review. Oh, and may the Force be with you.**


	9. Visions

What seemed like hours later, Ivy found herself holding onto Luke running her fingers through the distraught Jedi's hair and murmuring soft comforting words into his ear. She had never seen him look so scared in all her life, so vulnerable. The mighty Luke Skywalker, hero of the rebellion looked like a small child after a nightmare that has come to a parent for comfort. She felt him clutch her arm, much harder than he meant to, more fear in those icy blue depths than she had ever seen in her life. _So this is what pure terror looks like._

"Help me," he said in a whisper she could barely make out, "get me outta this horrible place, please."

"Luke, I don't think I can carry you," she stated, "you're gonna have to help me. Can you stand?"

He nodded, and with some difficulty his friend help him to his feet, "Cold," he said, pulling his jacket tighter around himself and shivering.

"I know- I know," Ivy said, slipping his arm around her shoulders to support part of his weight, "Lean on me Luke, the sooner we can get out of this awful place the better!"

"No," he uttered stiffly, "I can stand on my own."

"Nonsense," Starling retorted, "you're all shaky. Please, Luke let me help you." She felt her friend lean into her, still reluctant to trust his full weight to her, "It's okay, Luke (she felt the sudden irrational urge to call him Love) I can hold you up, I'm strong enough now." She felt him lean into her further, fully trusting her to get him home. She was startled by this sudden show of complete and utter trust in her, but she also knew Luke would carry her on his back if anything had happened to her. She smiled sadly, somehow touched by seeing him so vulnerable, shifted his arm, and began to make her steady way back to camp.

Luke was only vaguely aware of his surroundings for quite some time, but he was suddenly brought to full awareness when he realized he was swallowing far more spit than he should be. This was followed by the sudden realization that his saliva had taken on a sickly sweet taste. _Oh no!_ "Ivy," he croaked.

"What is-" Ivy stopped mid sentence. Skywalker was deathly pale and was covering his mouth with his free hand. She knew that look, "uh-oh." She set him down quickly, at which point her friend began to get violently sick. It was several moments before it stopped, "You done?"

"I hope so." He groaned, shivering all over and covered in a cold sweat.

Ivy placed her canteen in his hands, "Here"

He gingerly took a sip, when it stayed down he took another, "Sorry, I don't know what came over me."

"You got freaked out by that cave you went into." Starling explained, "Are you okay."

"Yeah-yeah, I'm fine," Luke smiled weakly.

"Can you stand?" she asked, "we need to get back to camp."

"I think so," he said rising to his feet, but his head swam and he swayed on the spot.

Ivy caught him as he started to fall, "Maybe not?" she offered a small smile, "Don't worry Luke, you're not too heavy for me."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," _Love_

Hours later, Yoda found both young Jedi huddled together and fast asleep for all intensive purposes. He shook his head at the sleeping pair, "Never learn they will."

"Master Yoda, quit bothering them," a familiar voice said, "They can't help that they fell in love."

"This attachment dangerous it is," Yoda argued, "Destroyed the old order attachments did."

"That's because the order let it destroy one of their own." Qui-gon said, "If the order had been less hard on Anakin perhaps what happened could have been prevented."

The old Jedi sighed and shook his head, "Know this I do. But how know you this attachment will not destroy the son."

"My friend," Master Qui-gon said, "search your feelings, he does not harbor the same feelings as his father. You can't stop him from falling in love any more than you could stop his father. Neither of them where raised with the same principles as you and I where raised by. They cannot start on the path to celibacy when they've already found someone."

"Know this also I do." Yoda sighed, "But what of the girl? Know you do what her father did. Lucky we were that stopped in time he did."

"She does not possess as much power as he did," the force ghost said, "And unlike him, she can control it."

"Why come you to tell me these things master Qui-gon hmm?" he asked.

"There is a prophecy pertaining to them." He said, "And their child."

The little masters ears raised, "And what says it of this child?"

"It is said that she will save the galaxy from an evil even greater than the one we face today." He said, "And also that she will be known as the Strategist."

"Mmmh, long years is it since made was that prophecy." He nodded sagely, "makes sense that the chosen one's granddaughter would she be."

"She will need much guidance," he said, "if she is to fulfill her destiny."

Yoda's ears raised again, "Soon will her arrival be I sense."

"Trust the Living Force, Master Yoda," he said as he faded away, "It guides all our fates."

Yoda's gaze returned to his sleeping paduwans, "A mistake I made, much to learn I still have too."

Luke came to awareness slowly, almost reluctantly as a ray of sunlight shone down on his face. He groaned and groggily tried to block the light out with his free hand, the other being pinned under something. He slowly opened an eye to look and see what his arm was pinned under and his heart shot into his mouth as he found himself looking into the sleeping face of Ivy Starling. _When did this happen?_ She sighed sleepily and snuggled closer, burrowing her head into the crook of his neck, trying to block out the sun rays that had woken him. He swallowed nervously, heart now feeling like it was trying to escape his ribcage.

She groaned and raised a hand to try and block the light out, "Stupid sun." She suddenly came to the realization that she was snuggled against something warm. _Warm?_ She opened her eyes slowly, preparing herself for a shock. "Luke? How did this happen?"

"_Don't leave," he said, grasping her hand firmly. It was obvious to her he was still visibly shaken by his vision in the cave._

_She squeezed the hand gently, "I won't be gone long, I was just gonna get my stuff."_

_The gratitude and relief shone in his still frightened eyes, "thanks Ivy."_

The memories flooded back as she came to full wakefulness, "Feeling better?"

"Much," he said, "I'm sorry you had to see me like that last night. That vision really had me scared."

She smiled and reached up to stroke his face, "It's okay, it was nice seeing your vulnerable side for a change." She suddenly realized there was something different about him, "hang on, I didn't know you got stubble."

"Of course I do," he said rolling his eyes, "I just haven't shaved in a few days."

"I never woulda noticed." She said, "I kinda like it."

"Really?" he said, "It's actually starting to bother me a bit."

She laughed, "I wasn't saying you should grow a beard or anything, I just said that it was nice to see you with a little facial hair for a change, it makes you look a bit older."

He smiled softly, "You know, you think of the weirdest things to say sometimes, Ivy."

"And you don't?" she snickered, giving his shoulder a playful shove, "Have you ever seen yourself when you have a head injury?"

"I wouldn't know," he quipped, "I usually don't remember, being the one who's been hit over the head."

She laughed, "Bless your sense of humor Luke. I'd be lost without it."

"I'd be lost without you." He blurted, blushing when he realized what he had just let slip out, "I mean-"

"No it's okay," _so he feels the same way as I do_, "I feel the same way as you do."

"Y-you do?" he asked.

Starling chuckled, "of course I do Luke, I'd have to be an idiot not to!"

He grinned sheepishly, "And here I was getting all worried and you felt the same way the whole time."

A throat cleared several meters away and both of them jumped, "Glad to see awake you both are. On matters had I to meditate this morning," Yoda said, "let you sleep I did." He pointed at Luke, "snore loudly you do, Wake the whole forest you will one day."

Luke's cheeks turned pink and Ivy laughed, "He's teasing you Luke, you barely snore at all."

"I didn't know I snored." He said.

"Luke, all men snore," she said with a grin, "It's a fact of life. Isn't that right master Yoda?"

"The truth it is," he said, "and exaggerating I was, at my age still, cannot resist teasing my paduwans."

The both chuckled. Both of them had become rather fond of the eccentric old Jedi and his sense of humor.

"Much training have we today," he said, "come."

"This is interesting," Solo said, pointing at the monitor, "Lando."

"Lando system?" Leia raised an eyebrow.

"Lando's not a system he's a man," he said, "Lando Calrissian. He's a card player, gambler, scoundrel. You'd like him."

"Are you Shure about that?" Aya asked distrustfully.

"Sure I'm sure." He said.

"Well what about him?" Leia asked impatiently.

"He owns a Tibanna gas mine on Bespin," he said, "must've conned someone outta it. It's pretty far. Me and him go back a long way."

"Can we trust him?"

Han shook his head, "No, but he has no love for the Empire I can tell you that."

"Master, moving stones around is one thing." Luke said, frustrated, "this is totally different."

"No," Yoda said shaking his head, "Only different in your mind. You must unlearn what you have learned."

Ivy was listening intently to every word that was being said _Unlearn what I have learned. I think I know what's been holding me back. Big and small don't matter, all that matters is the Force. How come it took me this long to see that?_

"Alright, I'll give it a try," he said.

"No," he corrected, "try not, do or do not."

Luke closed his eyes and slowly the ship began to lift out of the water, but his grip on the force slipped and as quickly as the X-wing had appeared, it sank beneath the water. He let out a frustrated sigh. "I can't it's too big."

_Believe in yourself_, the small voice whispered in her head.

"Size matters not," he said, "judge me by my size do you?"

Luke shook his head.

"Master, may I?" she said, before realizing she had interrupted him, "sorry, you go on."

"Wish to lift the ship do you?" he asked, "Realized something I have."

She remembered the words in her head, _believe in yourself,_ "Yes master, I have."

Yoda stepped aside, allowing her to stand in front of the ship, "Remember, young one, your ally is the force."

Ivy relaxed, immersing herself in the continual ebb and flow that was the force. She reached out towards the ship envisioning it lifting out of the water _I can do this. _Yoda was right, the starship was no heavier than the rock. An audible gasp fragmented her concentration and she suddenly had to struggle to hold the ship up, but suddenly she felt the pressure lift, _A lesson have you learned today, but on your concentration must you still work._ Ivy opened her eyes and saw the ship coming down on solid ground next to her own X-wing.

Luke reached out to touch the nose in astonishment, "I-I don't believe it."

"That is why you fail."

High-pitched screams came from a nearby chamber.

"Vader, I do not agree with this." Lando said angrily, "I never agreed with torture, but doing this to a little girl-"

"She is the key to my plans, Calrissian," he growled.

"That was never a condition of ours, nor was giving Han to this bounty hunter!" the dark skinned man shouted angrily.

"Perhaps you think you're being treated unfairly."

"No." he said sulkily.

"Good," Vader hissed coldly, "it would be unfortunate to have to leave a garrison here."

"This deal's getting worse all the time."

Ivy immersed herself in the Force once again.

"Through the Force things you will see…other places," the old master said, "the future…the past, old friends long gone."

Suddenly Ivy found herself following two young women in a hazy kind of vision.

"_Are you sure that's what you saw?" the taller of the two, who had brown hair which was pulled into a messy ponytail._

"_Look, Jaina," the shorter of the two with short-cropped blonde hair said, "I couldn't be more sure if I tried, as horrible as it may seem, I know what I saw was true."_

Ivy didn't know why, but the blonde girl's voice reminded her distinctly of Luke's. The vision flickered as an agonized scream cut through it. The girl in it also seemed to hear it in the vision, for she turned around. Starling got the shock of her life, she looked almost exactly like Luke, down to the ice blue eyes and the dimple in the chin.

"_IVY HELLP!" she saw a flash of her cousin Aya, her face twisted in agony, someone was torturing her._

"AYA NO!" Ivy tumbled out of the vision along with the rest of her.

"Control, control you must learn control!" Yoda said.

"I saw a city in the clouds." Luke said, also visibly shaken.

"Friends you have there?"

"They were in pain!" he said, abject horror written on his face.

"It is the future you see," Yoda replied.

"Then- oh no!" Ivy said, "not Aya, not my little cousin."

"What else saw you?" he asked.

"Two girls" she said, "about our age. Luke, the one looked just like you!"

"What?" he was shocked.

Yoda sighed, "Important for the future this shall be."

"What about Aya?" Ivy asked, "will she die? And Han and Leia, I know Luke saw them."

"Difficult to see, always in motion is the future." He said

"I-we gotta go to them." Luke said.

"Decide you must, how to help them best." Yoda addressed them both, "If you leave now, help them you could, but you will destroy all for which they fought and suffered."

The pair looked at each other and nodded in understanding. They could not leave their friends in danger, it was already decided.

**Hi, sorry this chapter is a bit long, I felt that the vision was a good point to stop. Thankfully, my mom told me yesterday that my charger has arrived and she should be bringing it to me sometime soon. In the meantime, hold tight, I'll have the next chapter up ASAP. May the force be with you and thank you for commenting!**


	10. Farewell to Dagobah

"Luke Help!" Ivy screamed.

Vader tightened his hold around the girl's neck, "I could snap her like a twig, Skywalker."

"_Let her go." He begged, "Please."_

"_Join me, and the girl will be spared."_

_She writhed in his grasp, feet a full foot off the floor, "No Luke!" she choked, "Don't do it."_

_Vader's grip tightened and she struggled to pry the hand from around her neck, "You're killing her Skywalker, all you have to do is give in and I will let go."_

_Luke sank to the floor with a sob, "I'll do what you ask, just please let her go."_

_Ivy dropped to the floor, lungs gratefully filling with air, "No." she collapsed to the floor._

"_Don't be dead, please don't be dead." He reached out for her force signature, but it was already too late._

"NO!" Luke shot out of the nightmare shaking and covered in a cold sweat. For a few seconds, he couldn't remember where he was, still partially entrenched in the dream world. Had he just had a vision? Somehow deep down inside, Luke Skywalker knew the dream was a warning from the force to make sure Ivy wouldn't go with him to face Vader.

He looked over at his sleeping friend, a few feet away from him, curled up in a ball in a nest of blankets. She looked so beautiful, long eyelashes brushing her cheekbones, wild curly hair framing pale delicate features. She looked like a statue forever doomed to sleep.

Luke crept quietly to her side so as not to wake her. And with a trembling hand pushed a stray tendril of dark hair away from her face at which point his fingertips accidentally brushed the soft cheek. She groaned in her sleep and his hand jerked away.

"Don't stop." Ivy said, reaching out for the other hand with a small slender one. Her eyes slowly opened and she smiled tiredly at him.

He blushed, "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"No, that's okay. We gotta get packed and ready to leave soon anyway." She said stretching her stiff limbs, "I'm not gonna miss sleeping on the ground."

Luke chuckled, "Getting too old for this, Starling?"

She playfully slapped his arm, "You're older than I am!"

"By a month." He said rolling his eyes. Ivy started to get up, but he grasped her hand, "please stay."

She thought she caught a tremor of fear in his voice, "Luke what's wrong?" she asked, reaching out to touch his shoulder.

"Nothing," he said, dropping his eyes to examine a tuft of grass.

_Ugh why does he have to be so stubborn_! "You had a nightmare didn't you, and don't lie cause that's not a question."

"Yes," he said begrudgingly, "I had a bad dream, okay?"

Ivy was shocked by the snappish reply. The dream must've really shaken him up. Ivy pulled him into a hug, "Which one was it?"

"I've never had this one before." He answered, "I think it was a warning."

"Warning?" Ivy was baffled, "What about?"

"Ivy," he said determinately, "will you promise something?"

"Yes?"

"When I go to face Vader, you can't come with me." He said.

"Who said anything about facing Vader?" she was horrified, "Luke that's suicide!"

"Promise me!"

"Or what?" she growled ominously.

"I-I'll I won't let you go." He said, "Not unless you promise."

"I'd like to see you try Luke, I'd like to see you try." She hissed.

Now she'd really made him mad, "Ivy Starling you-you are the most frustrating person in the universe!"

"Oh because you're so much better." She spat.

"Shut up!"

"What are you gonna do? Scream at me some more?!"

"Just wait till I get going!"

Ivy suddenly realized what they were doing, "hold-on, hold-on, I suddenly have the feeling we're getting a bit too riled over this."

Luke relaxed a little and blew some air through his nose, "You're right, I'm sorry."

"No, don't be sorry Luke." She said calmly "For what it's worth, I promise I won't follow you when you go to face Vader."

"You what?" He honestly didn't think it was going to be this easy to convince her.

"Yeah," she said, "I can see it's important to you, even if I still think it's a suicide mission." He opened his mouth to reply, "But please come back alive and in one piece. If you lose a hand or something—I'll kill you."

"Hey Poy what's the matter?" Adi found his friend standing stiff as a board staring out into space.

She blinked as if coming out of a trance, "What? Oh sorry Adi, I just had a funny feeling like something was about to happen."

"What's going to happen?" he asked.

She shook her head, apprehension in her big brown eyes, "I don't know, but it doesn't really pertain to us, I don't think."

"Young ones you must complete the training." Yoda said

"I can't keep the vision outta my head." He argued, "They're my friends I gotta help them."

"I'm not leaving my little cousin in danger," Ivy said.

"You must not go."

"But they'll die if we don't!" Starling replied.

"You don't know that," a blue ghost they both knew materialized out of thin air. "Even Yoda cannot see their fate."

"But I can help them!" Luke said, "I feel the force."

"It's my fault that Aya is in trouble in the first place." She said, "What kind of big cousin would I be if I didn't go to rescue her?"

"You cannot control the force yet," Ben said sadly, "You must have patience. This is a dangerous time for you, when you will both be tempted by the dark side of the force."

"Yes, yes. To Obi-wan you listen." He said, "Luke, remember your failure at the cave."

"But I've learned so much since then," he answered, "Master Yoda we promise to return and finish what we've begun. You have our word."

Ivy nodded, "I'm not strong enough yet to abandon my friends to torment and death yet, and neither is Luke. Please master, what do you want us to do? Rejoice in our losses and some crap while we leave them to die?"

"It is you and your abilities the Emperor wants that is why your friends are made to suffer."

"That's why we have to go," Ivy said softly.

"Luke, Ivy, I don't want to lose you to the Empower the way I lost Vader."

"You won't," they said together.

"Stopped they must be." Yoda answered sternly, "On this all depends. Only fully trained Jedi knights with the force as their ally will conquer Vader and his emperor. If you end your training now, if you choose the quick and easy path, you will become an agent of evil."

"Patience." Ben said holding up his hands.

"And sacrifice the others?" Luke snapped.

Ivy suddenly saw it, Luke was no longer a boy any more. "Master, maybe the quick and easy path is sometimes right. And to be fair, I don't see what we're about to do as quick or easy. How can you know we'll fall to the Emperor if we go?"

"If you choose to face Vader, Luke," he said, "you will do it alone. I cannot interfere."

"We understand." Luke said, starting towards his X-wing, "Artoo fire up the converters."

The two young Jedi climbed into their respective ships and the cockpits began to close.

"Strong is Vader." Yoda responded, knowing he could not stop the reckless youngsters, "Mind what you have learned, save you it can."

"We will." Luke said, "And we'll return. I promise."

"You're being put into carbon freeze." Lando said to his onetime friend.

Beside Leia, Aya sniffed. Leia squeezed her hand, "It'll be okay, you'll see." What had happened the previous day had really changed the girl. Her fiery spirit was almost non-existent as a result of the torture that had been used on her.

"So that's Bespin." Ivy stated eying the large orangish planet they were greeted with when they left hyperspace.

"I guess so." Luke replied. "I only hope we're in time to save them."

Not long after, and without any resistance, or response of any kind for that matter, Ivy and Luke landed on a nearby docking bay, "I don't like this."

"Me neither," Ivy said, "I bet you anything it's a trap, but what can we do?"

It was several moments going down different hallways before they found the first sign of the others, a small box that looked alarmingly like a coffin being pushed along by two guards. They spotted them both and began to open fire on the pair. "And I thought they weren't ever going to send the welcoming party." Ivy muttered, returning fire.

"C'mon," Luke said, waving at her and Artoo to follow, "We might still be able to reach them."

But they were already too late, the mysterious box had already disappeared.

With a roar, Chewie grabbed onto Lando's neck, trying to strangle him.

"I had no choice." He gasped.

"What are you doing?" Threepio, who was attached to the wookie's back shrieked, "Trust him! Trust him!"

"Oh we understand, don't we Chewie," Leia snarled, "He had no choice."

"I'm just tryin to help!"

"We don't need any of your help."

"Ivy you promised!" Luke snapped, "I can't lose you!"

"Luke I'm not going to let you go in there by yourself!" she said, "Promise or no promise."

He had had it, "What happened to keeping your word? Huh?" Starling looked away, "Ivy look at me!" he said grabbing her face. "I can't lose you Ivy, If anything where to happen to you, I don't know what I'd do." His voice hitched with emotion, "I'm not strong enough to face the galaxy without you."

"Luke, I won't lose you because you think you have to do something stupid to get yourself killed." She said, "Why should I stay behind and let you get hurt or killed because of your stupid glorious intentions. I won't do it Luke."

"You don't understand," he said, "if you go with me, he'll kill you!" he said, "I'm the one he wants, not you. He just wants to use you to get me on his side, I saw it!" he cupped her chin with his hand, "I love you Ivy I can't bear the thought of losing you!" Then, without a second thought, he kissed her passionately on the lips.

Ivy fell into the kiss, fervently kissing back, afraid for the moment they would have to separate. Then as quickly as it started, it was over. Luke squared his shoulders and prepared himself to leave.

"Luke!" she shouted after him. He turned his head towards her, "don't you dare get killed." He smiled and nodded before turning and going through the door that led to his destiny.

"The force is with you Skywalker, but you are not a Jedi yet."

**Hello again, so we've finally reached Bespin. I honestly have been waiting to do this next part for a long time. I actually can't wait till my mom brings my charger and I can write the next chapter. It's almost Return of the Jedi time folks! Please continue reviewing it really makes my day when I find a new comment up on one of my stories.**


	11. Father

Ivy sighed, staring at the door, wishing dumbly that she could have told Luke how much she loved him, how much she didn't want to lose him. _If only he would've listened to me. All I can do now is hope he'll make it back alive. Damn it Luke why do you have to be so brave?!_ She was brought to her senses when Artoo gave her leg a nudge. "Sorry Artoo, we should get going shouldn't we?"

The little droid twittered a cheerful reply.

"I'm gonna assume you said yes." She smiled, "C'mon Artoo, let's find the others!"

Vader's boots slammed into the place Luke's head had been just seconds before

Luke backed away, keeping a wary eye on his enemy.

"Your destiny lies with me, Skywalker." Vader said, slowly advancing, "Obi-Wan knew this to be true."

Luke backed away slowly, "No!" He hadn't noticed that he was standing at the edge of the carbon freezing pit. Vader made as if to swing at this head. Luke ducked and fell backwards with a startled cry.

"Guys wait up!" Ivy shouted charging after her friends.

Leia motioned her over, "Hurry up; we're trying to save Han from the bounty hunter!" She looked around, trying to see if there was anyone behind her, "Where's Luke?"

"He went to face Vader." Ivy said emotionlessly.

Luke let out a horrific scream as his hand was severed when Vader swung is red lightsaber in a brutal uppercut. He jammed the stump under his armpit and fell to his knees. The wounded Jedi backed away slowly, glaring at his mutilator.

"There is no escape." Vader growled, "Don't make me destroy you. You do not realize your importance; you have only begun to discover your power. Join me and I will complete your training, with our combined strength, we can end this destructive conflict and bring order to the galaxy."

"I'll never join you," Luke snarled.

"If you only knew the power of the dark side." He rasped, "Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father."

_How dare you talk about my father you bastard!_ "He told me enough!" he snapped, "He told me you killed him."

"No," Vader said finally, "I am your father."

Ivy and Leia fired at the approaching stormtroopers, "Leia, get inside the Falcon."

"What about you?" she asked, reluctant to leave her friend on her own.

"I'll take care of it," she answered pulling a thermal detonator out of her pants pocket. She chucked it at the trooper's feet, "Run!" she said, shoving her friend towards the Falcon's entrance.

An explosion rocked the landing pad, followed by agonized screams as the detonator took out the guards in the way and the ceiling collapsed.

Luke clung to the weather vane for dear life, still shocked by what Vader had told him. He shook violently, gripping the metal pole with his only remaining hand, "Ben please!" no one answered, he was alone. "Ben!" he called again helplessly, "Leia!" he whimpered suddenly, "Leia hear me!"

"Luke!" Leia's eyes where unfocused.

Ivy stared at her confused, "What about him, Leia."

"I know where Luke is," Leia said suddenly, "we have to go back!"

"But what about those fighters?" Lando asked worriedly.

Ivy glared at him, "That's my best friend out there," she snapped, "and I'll be damned if I'm gonna leave him behind in danger."

Chewie growled in agreement and Aya nodded her head in accord, having not spoken since she had been subjected to torture the other day.

"All right all right all right!"

Half conscious and without hope, Luke's strength was fading. It would all be over in a few moments, he would let go and fall to his death. His mind shifted to Ivy, If only he had told her sooner. "I love you Ivy." He whispered, a lone tear running down his face, "I wish it didn't have to end this way."

"Luke?" a voice softly called his name. He turned, not believing his ears and there she was, reaching out for him, wild dark hair being buffeted in the wind.

"Ivy?" he said slowly, "Are you really here?"

"Yes silly, I'm really here." She smiled softly, trying to hide the concern in her eyes, "You can let go, Luke I gotcha."

He clung tighter, "how do you know?"

"Trust me Luke." She bravely climbed over to him, being careful to keep her balance and touched his face, "see," she said in a reassuring voice, "I'm really here."

Luke carefully unfurled his legs from around the pole and reached out for Ivy unsteadily.

She slipped his good arm over her shoulders and helped him make his slow painful way into the top hatch. "That's it, lean on me Luke."

Leia's voice crackled over the com, "Ivy?"

"I got him, we can go now." She remained silent for several moments.

"What's wrong?"

"That sick bastard chopped his hand off." Ivy growled.

"Oh my gods Ivy you can't be serious!"

Ivy ground her teeth, "I am serious."

Once inside the ship, Ivy grabbed a brown blanket and Wrapped it around Luke's shivering form, "There, that's gotta be much better!"

When they reached the cockpit, Leia was there hugging them both.

"Oh Leia," Luke whispered, returning her embrace weakly.

Leia took his other arm, "C'mon Luke, let's get you lying down."

Once lying down, Ivy and Leia went to work cleaning his wounds.

"Ben, why didn't you tell me?" he whispered continually.

A blast shook the ship, causing both women to nearly overbalance. Leia squeezed Luke's good hand and gave Ivy a meaningful look, "I'll be back."

Starling pulled up a chair and sat down beside Luke, brushing at his hair, which was damp with blood and sweat. "It's okay Luke, we're gonna get you better I promise."

"Father," he called starting slightly, not aware of his friend next to him.

"Luke what are you talking about?" his lack of response scared her, "your father's dead."

He relaxed slightly, "Ben why didn't you tell me?" he got up slowly.

"Luke what are you doing?" Ivy rushed after her friend and grabbed his hand, which he squeezed back.

Luke entered the cockpit with Ivy close behind him, grasping his hand. He sank wearily into the nearest chair.

"I think he wanted to see what's happening." Ivy said to Leia.

"He looks awful." She said, "What do you think happened?"

"I dunno, but I'll get to the bottom of this."

"Biggs!" Darklighter turned to see his girlfriend running towards him with a horrified expression on her face.

"What is it?" he asked, concerned, "what's wrong?"

"I just got a call from the Falcon." She panted, out of breath, "Luke got in a fight with Vader and lost his hand.

"Oh my gods that's terrible!"

Luke clung to Ivy, sobbing uncontrollably. After she and Leia had brought him back to his room, he had collapsed physically and emotionally into Ivy's arms.

"Leia," Ivy addressed the princess, "go and check on Chewie and Lando, I'll take care of him."

"Alright."

Ivy ran her fingers through the blood-matted hair, "Shh," she whispered in his ear, "it's gonna be okay, Love."

"No! No!" he cried, mind in agony.

Ivy tightened her hold on Luke. Suddenly, she began to sing an old lullaby her parents had sang to her when she was asleep. It was a rather amusing song about cooking murder victims in meat pies. It was really horrible when you thought about it, but it was a song her father had sung her when she was little.

For some reason, Luke calmed a little.

"That's it Luke." Ivy said, "It's okay, I know you're hurt, and I know you're scared, but I'm here to help you."

He seemed to guess what was on her mind, "I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

He looked down, "You'll hate me."

"Luke I can't hate you." She said, "There is nothing in this universe that could make me hate you!"

"I can't!" he answered in something between a sob and a scream.

She gently cupped a hand under his chin, caressing the dimple there, "I promise you I won't tell a soul, just please let me help you."

He buried his head against her chest and began to cry in earnest, clinging tightly to her. Throughout it all, Ivy petted his hair. At last, Luke calmed enough to croak, "He's my father." Before letting out a horrible bloody scream and collapsing against her sobbing incoherently.

Throughout it all, Ivy continued to run her fingers through his hair, "You thought I'd leave you because of that? Luke, I can't say that my father was a saint either." She forced his chin up, getting him to look straight into his tearful blue eyes. "I wouldn't care if the Emperor was your father Luke, I'd still love you no matter what." She brought his chin up and kissed him hard on the mouth.

Luke let out a startled gasp, stunned. But seconds later, he relaxed into the kiss, forgetting for a moment the horror he had just been through.

The medicenter was sent into disarray as they prepared for the falcons arrival, which was carrying a badly injured Luke Skywalker.

**Hello all, we're almost to the end of Empire. I hope you have been enjoying the journey every step of the way. I am going to be very sad to be leaving, but this is not the end of the story. The next chapter or two will be focused on what happens after the credits start rolling. Mainly it'll deal with Luke's struggle to function after Vader's realization and the growth in his and Ivy's relationship. Oh and also, the song I was referring to that Ivy was singing is from Sweeny Todd. It's called A Little Priest I believe.**


	12. Epilogue Part 1

Luke came to awareness slowly. He found that his lids where quite heavy and his limbs didn't want to move. He opened his eyes, fighting against the fog that surrounded him. A hand gently caressed his cheek.

"Relax Luke," Ivy's voice came through the haze, "we'll still be here when you wake up." She watched the heavy lids close down back over blue eyes and his body relaxed.

"Why does he always have to fight it?" Leia said.

Ivy smiled softly, "I think he just doesn't like being unconscious."

"That's funny." Kourt said, "Considering how many times he's managed to concuss himself."

"I know." She said, "You know, he really looks so much better when he's asleep."

"He does," Leia said, "although that doesn't mean he hasn't been through hell. After what he's been through, it'll be surprising indeed if he doesn't need some form of counseling."

"Are you kidding?" Ivy said, "I'm certain he'll need some sort of counseling."

"What happened to him?" Biggs asked, "I mean other than the obvious."

"I can't tell," She said, "I had to promise not to tell to get it out of him, and believe me, it took some convincing."

Luke groaned softly and stirred. He found that he was lying on something soft. He yawned and stretched, but then wished he hadn't as his entire body became riddled with pain. He dragged a hand over his tired eyes. _Hand?_ He thought dully, his _right_ hand? _Was the whole Vader fiasco just a dream?_ He examined his right hand stupidly. _No, it couldn't have been a dream_, he thought touching the new hand,_ it's slightly colder than my other hand, and it's a little bit numb._ He jumped slightly as someone brushed their fingertips across his face.

"Hey Luke," that someone whispered, "How ya feelin?"

"Better," he whispered, "my arm still hurts a little though, and I'm sore all over."

"That's good to hear," Ivy grinned, "do you remember any of the trip?"

"Yeah a little." He whispered sleepily.

Starling chuckled; Luke couldn't even seem to keep his eyes open, "Still tired?"

"Yeah," he said with another yawn, "exhausted."

She stroked his face again, "then sleep Luke."

Once again, Luke found himself slowly slipping into unconsciousness.

_He was back in the same place again, and Vader was reaching out for him._

"_No, I am your father."_

"No!" he came to sweat soaked, chest heaving as though he had been running.

"Luke?" he felt a small hand squeeze his left, "you okay?"

He tried to curl up to the warm body, but all the tubes and wires attached to his body prevented it, "No."

She reached up and stroked the silky blonde hair, "I know, I know you're not Luke. But don't worry, I'm here and we'll find a way to get through this nightmare I promise."

"You mean you'll help me?"

"Of course I will Luke," she said, "I love you, I couldn't do anything less. And I know you can't handle this on your own." She saw the immense gratitude shining in those beautiful blue eyes and almost choked at the sight. He was so vulnerable, so open to her. Luke wasn't the tough young Jedi in training anymore, he was just a very frightened young man who was at a dangerous point in his existence.

He curled up further and let out a choked sob. Ivy reached out and brushed a tear from his cheek. "It's okay Luke, I'm right here." He tried to burrow himself deeper into the pillow and began to cry again, meanwhile Ivy continued to caress the prone face before her. Then suddenly, she clambered up onto the hospital bed with him and pulled him into a gentle embrace, cradling his head and allowing his tears to soak her jacket.

What seemed like hours later, he seemed to calm a little, "How can you treat me like this after what I told you?"

"Because I love you Luke." She said, "I loved you before I knew and I love you still now that I know." Ivy swallowed bravely, "No one anywhere has perfect parents, they all make mistakes…my father included."

"But you always spoke so highly of him." Luke said.

Ivy laughed grimly, "While you were in the cave, Yoda told me something. He told me my father had been part of an old bloodline which was too unstable to train in the force. When he was seventeen, he got himself into trouble, and for unknown reasons ran away to Earth. My father lied to me my whole life, and I suspect my mother was in on it too."

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know." Luke moaned, "How do you live with this?" he said, "How can I live with this?"

She felt him bury his head against her chest and let out a distressed sob, "I-I don't know Luke, I don't know." She shook her head _Daddies aren't supposed to do that to their kids._ "Maybe you're just supposed to accept it and forgive him."

"How can I?" he said, "when he did this to me!" Luke held up his new artificial hand.

"Forgiveness is hard sometimes, I know." Ivy stroked his neck, "But it has to be done sometimes so you can move on. I know it's hard, Luke, but I'm here to help every step of the way."

**Several Weeks Later**

Luke woke up with a dreadful pain in his right side, "Ow!" he said slapping the area, "Sith what is up with you now? Huh? I get over one injury and now you start acting up again!" He got up with a groan and quickly realized there was something wrong. "Oh, I don't feel well." He laid back down with a soft moan and shut his eyes, hoping the pain would go away.

But after half an hour, the pain had steadily worsened in his side and now he was lying on his stomach not moving, except for the violent shivers that ran through his body. Luke moaned and curled up into a miserable ball and lay still again, clutching at his side. Suddenly he was brought out of his misery by a loud beeping noise coming from his comlink, _Blast, that's gotta be Ivy._ As much as he cared about her, her whole keeping an eye on him at all hours of the day was beginning to get on his nerves. "Hello?" he croaked.

"Luke? Luke are you okay?" she asked.

"Yes fine, dear," he hissed through clenched teeth.

Ivy rolled her eyes on the other side of the line, "You don't sound it."

"Blast it Ivy I said I was fine!" he snapped, then grabbed his side with a painful groan. Ever since Bespin, Luke had begun to act a bit irritable around his friends, and especially Ivy. The pair of them had been butting heads more than anyone had ever seen before, and gotten into a record number of shouting matches. Usually because Ivy had been keeping close tabs on him since he had gotten out of the hospital, which irked him to say the least.

"Luke, I'm coming over there." She said, annoyed, "and you had better let me in." Ivy sighed and put down the comlink.

"What is it this time?" Leia asked.

Ivy groaned and ran a frustrated hand through her hair, "Luke again."

"You ever think you might be agitating him by watching over him so closely?" she asked.

"No!" Ivy said, "He's had breakdowns before, I'm just making sure I'm there when he does." She heard her com beep, "Yes?"

"Ivy?" Luke said, "I'm sorry I snapped at you."

"No, I'm sorry," she said suddenly, "I've been acting like a mother hen recently."

"No, you were right." He said, "I'm not okay."

"What's wrong?"

"I'm having this really bad pain in my side, and I can't get up."

"What?" She was stunned, "which side?"

"Right." He said, "Lower right, it really hurts."

"I'll be right over, Love." She smiled, "I gotta go Leia."

Luke groaned and rolled back onto his side, trying to relive the dull pain and shut his eyes.

He was awoken from his doze by a knock on the door, "Come in." he groaned.

Ivy was immediately at his side with a hand on his forehead, "Force Luke, you're burning up. Can you roll over?"

"I think so." He said pushing himself into a clumsy sitting position with a painful whimper. Ivy gently pressed her fingertips into a spot near his right hip, "Ah!" a sharp pain shot through his side.

"You need to go to the medicenter Luke." She said, "I'm pretty sure I know what this is."

"You sure?" he asked.

"Yeah, my little brother had this." She said, "When I was a bit younger, and he had to have surgery."

"SURGERY?!" Luke tried to sit up further, but Ivy pushed him down relatively easily, which showed just how weak he was. Luke was quite a bit stronger than Ivy, and had been even when he had first met her. "Again?"

"I don't know." She said, "I'm no doctor, but it seems similar to what my brother had."

Luke woke up with the all too familiar foggy feeling in his head, "Not again." He groaned, "What did I do to myself this time?"

"You had appendicitis." Ivy said, "This time around you were actually sick."

"Ugh, so that was what that awful pain in my side was." He said sleepily, "My body has terrible timing doesn't it."

"Very true," Ivy grinned, "on the plus side, or minus side, you now have a new scar added to your collection."

He yawned and stretched his limbs, "I feel so groggy."

"I know," she said, "look Luke, I'm really sorry about the way I've been acting recently, I know it's been irritating you and I apologize."

He smiled softly and reached up to brush her face, "I'm sorry too, for getting so mad at you about it. And I forgive you. Hell, if I can forgive my father for what he did, I can forgive you too."

She smiled and pulled her groggy friend into a hug. "You didn't tell me you forgave him."

He grinned sleepily, "Yeah, sorry about that, I forgave him soon after I left the hospital the first time."

"And you didn't tell me?"

"I forgot." He said and then shrugged, "I dunno, I almost feel like… this is gonna sound crazy."

"Go on," Ivy laughed, "I'm pretty accustomed to you sounding crazy."

"Ha. Ha. Hilarious Ivy." He snorted, but fell silent.

"Well?" her voice brought him out of his revelrie.

"Sorry, just thinking." He said, looking into her eyes, "I dunno, I just have this feeling that there's still good in him hidden deep down."

"Now that doesn't sound all that crazy." She replied, patting his cheek, "It actually sounds quite logical if you ask me."

"There's more," he said, "What if I could turn him back to the good side, Ivy."

"Okay Luke, that does sound crazy," Ivy said, "but I love you for it." She bent down to kiss him on the lips, "Your hair-brained ideas, your whine, not to mention your looks."

"Mmmh you go along with them," he said, "and you're not bad looking yourself, you know that?" his hand reached up to stroke the beautiful face before him, and she leaned down and caught his lips in a passionate kiss.

"Knew you two couldn't stay away from each other for too long." A voice sounded behind them.

**Hiya folks! Well, I finally managed to finish this chapter, I had a bit of writer's block yesterday. This is the second to last chapter, and very soon I should be posting the final one. After that, I'll see you on the dreaded (at least by our male hero) planet Tatooine.**


	13. Epilogue Part 2

Both young Jedi jumped apart, "Lando hey!"

"So what brings you here?" Luke grinned.

"Number one:" Lando said, "I heard you put yourself in the hospital again."

"Naah," Luke said, "I didn't this time, my appendix did."

"Well that's in your body, isn't it?"

Luke snorted through his nose, "Not anymore it isn't. So, Lando, what's your number two?"

Ivy burst out laughing, "Good lord Luke, don't you know what that means?"

"No?" Luke said raising an eyebrow, "should I?"

Starling was doubled over, "on Earth number two stands for taking a dump."

"Ohh oops." He said, a bemused expression on his face, "So, Lando, what's your second reason for coming?"

"Things have started to clear up around Tatooine." Lando said, "I'm guessing that in a few days, when you're released from the hospital Luke, we'll be able to put that little plan of yours and Miss Starling's into action."

"It still needs the final details," Ivy said, "like a backup plan for the backup plan."

"Aaand a backup plan for that backup plan," Luke said, rolling his eyes, "Really Ivy, it's fine. For crying out loud, we can both think on our feet in tight situations! We'll be fine!"

Ivy sighed, "You're right; maybe I'm just overthinking things a bit."

"You _always_ overthink things, Ivy," Luke chuckled, "It would be a shock if you didn't."

"And you always under think things." She grinned.

"A fact that you made me aware of on several occasions." He said dryly.

"Hey, it's not my fault that you're a stupid boy."

"Excuse me?" Luke said, "That same quality saved your ass before."

"Oooh," Leia muttered in Lando's ear, "You could cut the tension with a knife."

"I think those two must be making up for you and Han." He said.

The princess laughed, "Except they already admitted they're in love, I just think they're making up for lost time."

**Three Weeks Later**

"Wow Ivy, you really are improving!" Luke parried the stroke easily as the pair sparred in something akin to a dance with their lightsabers in hand.

"Hey, not my fault that you're a faster learner than I am." She made a slash at him and missed, "And just so you know, if you didn't have that pretty green lightsaber in your hands I could still knock you on your ass."

Luke grinned misgeviously, "I'd like to see you try." He said, clipping his lightsaber to his belt, "Well, come on Ivy…You aren't afraid are you?"

"Who said anything about being afraid," she smiled wickedly, "you're the one who should be afraid."

The grin faltered on his face, "Uh-oh, I know that look." He started to back away slowly.

"Where do you think you're going Luke?"

Luke started backing away faster, "Uhhh I just… I just remembered I was making some…soup…yeah soup."

"Oh Luke, we both know you can't cook." She laughed.

He pretended to be affronted, "I can so cook."

"If you consider burning things to a blackened crisp." She grinned, "Then yes I suppose you can cook."

"Okay, okay, so I can't cook." He said, "But you can."

"Hardly Luke," Ivy said, "it's called not being a boy."

"Leia can't cook." Stated Luke, "And Han can."

"Yeah well Han had to learn how to take care of himself at an early age." She said, "And Leia's a princess, she didn't have to learn."

"Oh, so you're saying I'm spoiled and I can't take care of myself huh?" he snorted, "Well, I suppose then you don't want what's behind my back."

Luke had an infuriating expression on his face and had both hands behind his back, "What's behind your back?"

"Mmmmh I dunno," the grin grew broader, "you'll have to catch me to find out."

"Hah!" Ivy shouted, taking after Luke, who had run off laughing, "challenge accepted."

Leia felt Lando tap her on the shoulder, "It sure is good to see those two acts their age."

"Hardly, Lando," she chuckled, "more like several years younger, but they didn't get the chance to act much like children after they met. Luke had just lost his aunt and uncle and his mentor, and Ivy had lost her parents and her younger brother. It's good to see them behaving so carefree."

Ivy finally caught up to her friend, grabbing him around the knees and sending them both crashing to the sandy ground. Something went flying out of Luke's left hand, which he used the force to recover. "What was that?"

"Let go of me and I'll show you."

Ivy let go and sat on the ground for a few seconds and then pulled herself to her feet, dusting the sand off the back of her trousers before offering a hand to Luke. But Luke was already halfway standing with a ring in his hand, "Ivy?" her hand flew to her mouth, "You are the most beautiful, hard-headed, infuriating, amazing girl I've ever met. Will you marry me?"

She nodded dumbly, "Yes," she whispered, "Yes!" She threw her arms around him and they were kissing harder and more passionately than they had ever kissed before. For the first time in months…or years the pair of them felt as though everything would be all right with the world. For the first time, everything was fine.

**Who's ready for Return of the Jedi? I AM! Sorry I haven't posted for a while, I've been staying at my grandparent's Aaand nobody knows their wi-fi password. I should be posting the first chapter of Return of the Jedi very soon!**


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